3/2016 mx5vic.org.au The monThly magazine of The mazda mX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania NatMeet comes to Tasmxnia! In this edition: NatMeet XII – a roaring success! It’s official: the MX-5 is a Unique Car Find us at: A day’s tarmac rallying in Gippsland MX-5 Club mx5vic.org.au of Victoria Print Post Publication: 100018450 13 3/2016 contents Your Committee: 2015-2016 President > Peter Dannock | 0408 522 093 (ah) Reports and thoughts e: [email protected] VP / secretary / Communications 4 President Pete’s Perspective 5 scene about > Murray Finlay | 0416 247 677 e: [email protected] 7 membership 8 Track Torque Treasurer > Dave Collins | (03) 9755 2167 (ah) 8 Contacting the Committee ... email updates e: [email protected] Club Captain – motor sport 10 every picture tells a “unique” story > Tim Emery | 0424 091 167 (ah) e: [email protected] 12 a pleasant saturday in the hills ... Mt Baw Baw Sprint Club Captain – social > Cary Warren | 0418 368 246 (ah) 16 favourite road ... Haleakala Crater, Maui e: [email protected] assistant Club Captain – motor sport 17 natmeet XII, launceston ... It was all about the car! > Randy Stagno Navarra | 0409 210 872 e: [email protected] 33 Tech Talk ... Got a Bat Flattery? assistant Club Captain – social > Alex Hailstone | 0414 155 383 34 spider update ... the Abarth 124 Spider revealed e: [email protected] social media Chapter chatter > Ben Sale | 0434 906 673 (ah) e: [email protected] 14 eastern Victoria: Maffra Shed run membership > Will Campbell | (03) 5261 4816 (ah) 21 eastern Victoria: Khanacross at Bryant Park e: [email protected] merchandise 22 Central & eastern Victoria: Boolarra run > Bruce Gray | 0478 219 856 (ah) e: [email protected] 24 north-eastern Victoria: Mitta Mitta run Points > Coral Campbell | (03) 5261 4816 (ah) 26 Western Victoria: Sebastopol to ... everywhere! e: [email protected] Committee member 28 southern Tasmania: The Post-NatMeet runs > Richard Acfield | 0488 747 755 (ah) e: [email protected] Motor sport ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chapter Captain - Central 30 City mazda sprint Championship – rd 1 … Phillip Island > Geoff Roche | 0409 039 867 (ah) The one day it rains ... Will Campbell and Joan e: [email protected] Cover Find us at: Read manage to see the funny side of a bleak day mX-5 Club of Chapter Captain - eastern Victoria image: > Peter Ferguson | 0419 108 128 for the NatMeet Concours/Shown & Shine. Victoria e: [email protected] Chapter Captain - north-eastern Victoria mxtra is the monthly newsletter of the Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Inc (#A0021659A). > Loz Thomas | 0409 639 718 PO Box 7438, Beaumaris VIC 3193. Registered for Print Post: 100018450 e: [email protected] All contributions are welcome: Chapter Captain - Western Victoria > please email articles to the editor, don nicoll: [email protected] > please email photos to murray finlay, [email protected] > Ian Bradshaw | 0407 556 135 • or post: mxtra, Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania, PO Box 7438, Beaumaris VIC 3193 e: [email protected] Photos supplied for mxtra will also be uploaded to the Club’s online gallery. Copyright will remain with the photographer, and the Club undertakes not to use them for any other purpose without express permission. Chapter Captain - northern Tasmania > Bruce Harvey | 0427 656 074 (ah) DISCLAIMER The Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Inc., its Officers and Committee cannot be held liable for e: [email protected] any errors and/or omissions in articles, reports, notices, advertisements, comment and advice of events Chapter Captain - southern Tasmania that are published in mxtra in good faith. It should be noted that the publication of an advertisement, > John Waldock | 0409 658 716 (ah) or expression of views in articles and reports, does not necessarily imply endorsement by the Club of the advertised product or service or the views expressed in any articles or reports published in mxtra. e: [email protected] 3 Pete’s Perspective... ■ Peter dannock – President [email protected] since my last report, the 12th natmeet and the Show and Shine. Thanks also has come on gone and was a roaring goes to Alyssa and Murray Finlay for the For your diary … success for all who participated. during artwork, John Cooper for coordinating the week we had some great experiences: the audiovisual presentations and Kelly See the full calendar for details » two days of great motor sport on two Berggren and Tim Manion for taking lots different tracks and lots of photos. March » we shined and then showed off our The other group, too numerous to 20 WV:RuntotheRanges cars mention by name, are our Club members » we drove some of the best roads in in Tasmania: they were fantastic. We 20 NTas:DevonportMotorShow Northern Tasmania, perhaps some of could not have pulled this event off 26 CEN:BendigoSaleyardDash the best roads in Australia without their dedication and help in » we indulged in the local food and being the Run Leaders and Tail-end drink Charlies on all of the runs. On any day we April … and we had a lot of fun! had nine run groups of cars out on the 3 CEN:Tyrone’sGippslandrun roads of Tassie and their local knowledge 9 NEV:TastesoftheNorth-East natmeet 2016 was a record in a number certainly came in handy. Many people of ways: 181 participants in 106 cars, 30% commented on how useful their running 16 CEN:TwoSpursrun more participants than for Queensland commentary over the radio was, as they 16 WV:TwoSpurs/birthdayrun in 2014. Some 50% of participants were drove through the countryside. first timers to NatMeet, another record 17 EV:ThatDamMX-5run and seven had participated in all 12 i would also like to thank our sponsors NatMeets. For those participants who for the event: Mazda Australia, Shannons, 23-25NTas:TassieTigerHunt drove across the Nullarbor, they were part Motor Active, Country Club of Tasmania 24 EV:Khanacross of the biggest contingent to ever come to and the Josef Chromy Winery. They were a NatMeet from Western Australia. key to the success of the event. 26 NEV:Mansfieldrun On the drives to Gowrie Park, Bicheno As the hosting club, we can feel very and Bridport, I was impressed with the proud of our efforts and I have no small towns and countryside of northern hesitation in declaring that we have just The purpose of the Club is “… to encour- Tasmania. Having some the first penal delivered the ‘Best NatMeet Ever’. Well age the coming together of owners and colonies in Tasmania means that many of done to all involved. drivers (and their respective families and the towns look like English villages, with at natmeet, steve maciver from mazda friends) of Mazda MX-5 automobiles (the “Car”) by actively promoting membership lots of old pubs, old brick buildings close australia revealed that there will be a of the Club to all who own and/or drive to the road and avenues of deciduous retractable hardtop version of the ND the Car.” trees. released in Australia. Though he gave no The participant feedback from NatMeet timelines on its release, I am sure there It goes on to state: “... the ‘Car’ means an was overwhelmingly positive and we are a few members who may just hold off Australian Design Rules (ADR)-compliant could not have achieved this magnificent their purchase of the all-new Mazda MX-5 Mazda MX-5, Mazda Miata, Eunos result without the organisation skills and until the hardtop is available. We hope to Roadster or Mazda Roadster automobile.” support of a large group of people in the bring you more news on this as it comes After some discussion and consideration, Club. to hand. the Committee have resolved to maintain The first group to thankis the organising Thanks to richard acfield and siddique the focus of the “Car” on the Mazda MX-5 committee of David and Gail Collins, fisher for their articles in last month’s marque; thus, owners of the new Fiat Bruce and Jenny Gray, Bruce Harvey and mxtra on the MX-5-based Fiat 124 Spider. 124 Spiders will not be eligible to join Cheryl Murray, Joan Read and Linda Nicoll. They were informative and insightful on the Club (unless of course, they also own They did a remarkable job in overseeing the new model of the shared platform a Mazda MX-5). Don’t forget that you the event organisation, everything went and owners will obviously get a good, can get a copy of the Club’s Statement to plan and was executed like clockwork. reliable car. As Siddique suggested, will of Purpose and Rules from the Club’s Our Motor Sport Captains, Tim Emery and owners of the Fiat 124 Spiders be allowed website; it makes for fascinating reading. Randy Stagno Navarra, did a wonderful to join the Club? Well, the Committee Get out and enjoy your car, while the sun job in organising the two motor sport have considered the question and the is still shining. And remember ... leave days. Thanks to Will and Coral Campbell, answer lies within the Club’s Statement sooner, drive slower, live longer. Grant Butler and Saeko Fujiki for their of Purposes and Rules (ie, the Club’s co-ordination of the Concours d’Elegance constitution). Pete 4 Scene about ■ Photos: bronwyn roche, marg gillick, Karen bradshaw, Tim manion, murray finlay 5 “NO ONE KNOWS YOUR PASSION LIKE SHANNONS.” The passion, the pride of ownership, the sheer emotional attachment – no one understands it better than Shannons. So when it comes to insurance for your special car, daily drive, bike or even your home, there’s only one person you should talk to – a fellow enthusiast at Shannons.